3-6-22 EQUAL RIGHTS

Joe Slater

How could a Christian possibly oppose equal rights? Gód doesn’t show favoritism (partiality, “respect of persons'”) and neither should His children.

That being said, corrupt people have redefined “rights” to suit their own purposes. When Christians reject those new definitions, we are tarred as bigots who supposedly support inequality. This holds true in both spiritual and earthly concerns. In religion, many have equated equal rights with identical functions. Thus, Christian women supposedly have the “right” to be elders in the church. Biblical teaching that an elder must be “the husband of one wife” is written off as a mere vestige of an outmoded patriarchal society. Redefined “equality” surpasses plain Scripture.

Now, what about secular issues? Fifty years ago Americans were debating the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution (ERA). It reads: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” Though the time for it to be adopted has long since expired, the President is pressuring Congress to adopt it since more states have subsequently ratified it.

The amendment sounds simple enough. However, even half a century ago we knew that politicians, judges, and lawyers would “spin” it to mandate abortion on demand and who knows what else, despite the fact that an average person wouldn’t make such absurd applications. Today the secular progressives would see special accommodations for so-called transgender persons being not only legal but mandated by the Constitution! Biblical equal rights” ought to be recognized and respect by all. But what the world means by equal rights'” and what God means are two different things!